REVIEW: “Rattlesnake” by Kim Fielding

ABOUT:

A drifter since his teens, Jimmy Dorsett has no home and no hope. What he does have is a duffel bag, a lot of stories, and a junker car. Then one cold desert night he picks up a hitchhiker and ends up with something more: a letter from a dying man to the son he hasn’t seen in years.

On a quest to deliver the letter, Jimmy travels to Rattlesnake, a small town nestled in the foothills of the California Sierras. The centerpiece of the town is the Rattlesnake Inn, where the bartender is handsome former cowboy Shane Little. Sparks fly, and when Jimmy’s car gives up the ghost, Shane gets him a job as handyman at the inn.

Both within the community of Rattlesnake and in Shane’s arms, Jimmy finds an unaccustomed peace. But it can’t be a lasting thing. The open road continues to call, and surely Shane—a strong, proud man with a painful past and a difficult present—deserves better than a lying vagabond who can’t stay put for long.

REVIEW:

This was…beautiful. Beautiful in the way that hurts. Beautiful in the way that heals. Beautiful in the way that is imperfect. Beautiful in the way that challenges you, treats you, surprises you, fulfills you.

Jimmy Dorsett…a man with a car, without a destination, with a heart of gold, and an unlimited stash of stories to tell. A man without hope, yet within him is the ability to change a town.

Shane Little…a man with scars, fighting to have a full life beyond his injuries. A man with an inner joy that is contagious. A man full of love.

I loved Jimmy so much. He reminds me a bit of Weber Yates from “Frog”. He’s kind and charming. But he has no home. He’s doing his best to get through life…but he has no life. He also reminds me a bit of Vin Vanbly of “King Perry”. Stories, glorious stories, life-altering stories, mundane stories….what’s behind all those stories? He also reminds me of…well, no one else I’ve ever read in books. The level of lack-of-hope-yet-keeping-on-in-life in Jimmy made me both hurt for him and hope enough for the both of us. Jimmy.

I loved Shane so much. He is a SURVIVOR. He’s the kind of person you want in your life…one that smiles freely despite the pain inside and out. He’s fierce, but he’s gentle. Shane.

Rattlesnake is about a town that allowed two broken men fall in love. That gave them a home. That supported them a life.

The book is so beautifully written, atmospheric in it’s mood. It’s slow-paced, but you’re dying for the tiny hints that keep coming your way to reveal the truths you know are waiting for you. It’s slightly repetitive…but in a way you know was purposeful and requires your patience.

I felt lost in this book…and I loved it.

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One comment on “REVIEW: “Rattlesnake” by Kim Fielding”

I’ve been contemplating the possibility of reading this book. Your review, especially how Jimmy reminds you of Weber Yates from Frog by Mary Calmes, who is one of my all time favorite characters, made me immediately go to B&N and buy the book. I’m looking forward to reading it. It sounds like just what I need to read next.